Surgical robotic systems make it easier and less tiresome for surgeons to perform minimally invasive surgery. During traditional laparoscopic surgery surgeons manually oriented, moved, and actuated surgical instruments in the patient during surgery. Surgeons had to maneuver, hold, and activate the surgical instruments in awkward positions for prolonged periods causing discomfort and fatigue. Surgical robotic systems have a separate console and input device that the surgeon could manipulate to direct the motorized movement and actuation of surgical instruments to reduce discomfort and fatigue.
During a surgical procedure, the surgeon may receive visual feedback of an operative site through an endoscopic or a laparoscopic camera that is inserted through a surgical port into the patient. The control of the camera motion had been accomplished using methods such as voice control (“pan left”, “pan down”, “zoom in”, etc.), tracking the surgeon's eyes as the surgeon looked at an endoscopic image on a display screen, or by using a separate input controller such as a multi-axis force sensor similar to a three-dimensional mouse (push left, right, up, or down to pan and push or pull to zoom).
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a camera motion control scheme that allows a user to quickly and simply move the camera and/or change the viewing angle during a surgical procedure.